The field of application of the present embodiment predominately relates to aircraft construction. In particular, wide-bodied commercial aircraft or transport aircraft can be constructed in a shell construction, in particular a semi-shell construction. In aircraft construction, the term “semi-shell construction” relates to the design of the fuselage, mostly in two shells. When jointed, the two shells result in an almost circular or oval cross-section of a fuselage segment. A plurality of fuselage segments arranged in line, for the rear end, the middle of the fuselage, and the cockpit section, form the entire aircraft fuselage. Increasingly, in the production of aircraft fuselages, suitable fiber composite materials such as carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP) are used. In order to stiffen the fuselage so that it can take up the expected loads, the shells usually comprise structure elements such as stiffening members, in particular stringers and frames.
The document DE 10 2010 013 478 A1 discloses a device for manufacturing structural components, especially panels, from a fiber composite material. The fiber composite panel is produced in a negative adhesive mold in which various layers of fiber material and resin are placed and cured. In this arrangement the device interacts with a jig, which is used for preparing the layer design of the skin layers apart from positioning the structure elements, for example, in particular stringers, window frames, door frames, and the like, bonded into the layer design. Lastly the device defines the corresponding external contour and ensures a smooth external surface of the shell-like panel.
An assembling device interacts with a laminating bonding device having a corresponding shape for forming this panel under pressure, wherein the mounting surface includes a plurality of individually elastically deformable mounting shell parts arranged adjacent to each other along at least one longitudinally extending pitch line and attached to a plurality of elastically deformable supporting frame elements extending on the interior of the panel at a right angle to the pitch line, and a plurality of actuators for deforming the mounting surface between an extended position and at least one retracted position to move the assembling device from the bonding device relative to the receiving channels without undercuts. Usually, a CFRP-panel will be produced with integrated stringers. Other panel structure elements, for example frame elements, will be mounted onto the surface of the CFRP-panel later.
For mounting the remaining panel structure elements, an assembling jig is used, which holds the pre-produced panel in the desired position. Usually the assembling jig comprises several positioning boards that are parallel arranged one to another forming a mounting surface on which the panel is temporarily fastened for the further mounting process. Large CFRP-panels have tolerances in relation to the assembling jig since the CFRP-material has a different thermal expansion coefficient than the assembling jig material, which is usually made of steel.
In addition, other objects, desirable features and characteristics will become apparent from the subsequent summary and detailed description, and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background.